Fluorocarbon based fluids have found widespread use in industry in a number of applications, including as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, blowing agents, heat transfer media, gaseous dielectrics, fire suppression with or without extinguishing and fire/explosion prevention. However, certain compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are suspected of depleting atmospheric ozone and, thus, are harmful to the environment. Moreover, some of these compounds are believed to contribute to global warming. Accordingly, it is desirable to use fluorocarbon fluids having low or even zero ozone depletion potential, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), or those with a photolyzable carbon iodine, which exhibit short atmospheric lifetime when released at ground level. The use of single component fluids or azeotropic mixtures, which do not fractionate on boiling and evaporation, is also desirable.
Unfortunately, the identification of new, environmentally-safe, non-fractionating mixtures is complicated due to the fact that azeotrope formation is not readily predictable.
The industry is continually seeking new fluorocarbon based mixtures that offer alternatives, and are considered environmentally safer substitutes for CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs in use today. Of particular interest are mixtures containing hydrofluorocarbons, fluoroolefins, iodide containing compounds and other fluorinated compounds, which have low ozone depletion potentials and low global warming potentials. Such mixtures are the subject of this invention.